Chewing gutkha may land you in jail in Bengal

TNN | Apr 21, 2014, KOLKATA: Do you chew gutkha? Better kick the habit soon, or you might land up behind bars. 

Faced with criticism that the ban of gutkha remained on paper only in the state, the government has decided to crack down on the sale and consumption of chewing tobacco from May 1.

The crackdown decision has already been circulated through a gazette notification. The notification states that not only the seller, but the buyer would also be penalized for being a patron of this dangerous substance that causes cancer. 

"The chief minister asked for stringent action against the sale and consumption of gutkha to reduce the risk of oral cancer. So, we are implementing the order," said director (health education) Sushanta Bandyopadhyay. 

Till date, 26 states — including Bengal — and seven Union Territories have banned the sale, manufacture, distribution and storage of gutkha and all its variants under the Food Safety and Regulation (Prohibition) Act, 2011. Maharashtra's has been the biggest success story. Though Bengal banned the manufacture and sale of gutkha in May 2013, it could not enforce the ban effectively. The notification was issued by the commissioner of food safety. 

Manufacturers have taken to providing the tobacco free with a sachet of paan masala.